


Time to Escape

by ultrahotpink



Category: Mercy Street (TV)
Genre: F/M, Florence Nightengale, Wound Dressing, a game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-08-07 09:21:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7709590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultrahotpink/pseuds/ultrahotpink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mary organizes a lecture in wound dressing that Jed tries to save her from.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time to Escape

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Klarinette49](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Klarinette49/gifts).



> This is based on the prompt "Come on. It wasn't that bad." submitted to me by the lovely klarinette49 on Tumblr.

Anne Hastings stood in front of the Library, her posture straight, her bearing regal, her glances towards Mary bordering on scathing.

"Nurse Phinney has asked me here today, to teach you all about how to properly dress a wound, because, of course, few of you came to us with any practical nursing experience." Anne cast a lingering glance at Mary who sat at the back of the room amongst the other nurses and orderlies who had been heavily encouraged to attend.

She knew when she had asked Miss Hastings to lead a course in wound dressing that she would be subjected to a dressing down of her own. But the pained glances and mild condescension were hardly different than an average transaction with Anne Hastings, so she could bear it.

Contrary to Anne's perception however, she had made it her mission to learn wound dressing before the session and had practiced on herself until she was satisfied that her technique was more than adequate.

It had been a busy week. Barely even enough time for the seminar and she was exhausted. Her body weary, her mind occupied, both with hospital matters and very briefly flashes of Jed that popped into her mind unbidden. Perhaps she could shut her eyes... But then she knew that she couldn't. If Miss Hastings found her asleep on the job, she'd never live it down. For the woman not only saw the faults that were there, but the ones that were imagined too.

She felt someone sit down and glanced to see that Jed was beside her. He looked handsome in a red paisley waist coat with burgundy cravat, although his hair was a slightly disheveled mass of dark curls. He leaned towards her, his lips hovering perilously close to her ear. Close enough that she felt a light warm breath on her neck before he spoke. Again she resisted the urge to close her eyes and luxuriate at their closeness.

"There's still time to escape." he whispered in her ear. "We could pretend that there is some sort of medical emergency that only the head nurse could assist on.”

Mary smiled at the idea of being spirited away with Jed. What would it be like to speak with him away from the hustle and bustle of the hospital?  They could go to the back garden and walk by the fence or to the water front and watch the ships sail by. Perhaps their hands might, accidentally brush.

And even if there had been a patient or an urgent situation, she could have stood across from him and watched the careful purposeful way that he operated. Meet his eyes after a successful procedure. Touch his forearm gently in comfort when it had not. Anything would have been far preferable to an hour of uncomfortable condescension. Mary once again felt her reason return. She had organized the talk, and unless there truly was an emergency, she could hardly disappear. There was no getting out of it, however much she might have wanted to.

She saw Jed’s expectant eyes, waiting for a response. Mary leaned towards him. "Come now. You must know that she is a very capable nurse who has much to teach."

"How true,” he nodded. “I myself feel that I know enough about Florence Nightingale to write a biography about her, although whether or not the contents of that book would be truthful..."

May felt the threat of a laugh rise up in her. "Hush. You must stop before you make me laugh."

"I confess that sometimes I make a game of it. You know, counting the number of times she mentions Florence or the Crimea within a certain span of time." His eyes met hers with a mischievous smile.

“Behave yourself.” Mary challenged with a small smile in return. She could see his eyes dancing with the prospect of other mischief. What other wicked things might he whisper to her given the chance? Her heartbeat sped up at the notion and she took a deep breath, attempting to slow it down, however unsuccessfully.

 She leaned towards him slightly less closely than before. “Despite her faults, she is attempting to teach the staff a skill that most of them are in desperate need of. One would think that you would be happier to have more of your good work saved."

Jed inhaled deeply and nodded. “Of course. I’m growing weary of stitching men up only to have them die anyway."

Anne coughed and the room grew suddenly silent around their whispering.

"Is anything the matter? I do hope that Doctor Foster doesn't come bearing grave news." Anne’s voice was higher pitched, as it usually was when addressing a male member of staff.

Mary shot Jed a look of annoyance and he met her eyes with a brief smile that lingered a fraction of a second longer than strictly necessary.

Jed stood. "My apologies everyone. I had thought the matter urgent, but it should keep. See me later in my office Miss Phinney, and we will continue our conversation." He looked very sternly at Mary but she could see the humor that still lingered within his gaze. He turned and walked out of the room.

Mary nodded. "I am sorry to interrupt, but I thought it only right to hear our executive officer out. Do please continue."

Anne's eyes bore into Mary's for a moment before continuing her speech.

The hour went quickly and though Nurse Hasting's style was overly verbose, she felt that the other nurses and orderlies benefitted greatly. Mary walked down the hall to Jed's office, and knocked at the door.

"Come in." he spoke, and Mary opened the door to see him scribbling away furiously in one of his leather bound notebooks.

Mary came into the room leaving the door open. "You wanted to see me Doctor?"

Jed wrote silently for a few moments before glancing up. "Well, how many times?" He continued to write.

Mary scrunched up her face in puzzlement. "How many-"

"How many times did she mention Nightingale?" Jed put the cap on his pen and sprung out of his chair.

Mary stood aghast. "It wasn't that bad."

“How many?”

“You are not fair to her. If I had worked alongside someone of such renown I would perhaps mention it as well.”

He cocked an eyebrow. "Come Mary, you are far too kind. Imagine what she is perhaps saying about you at present. 'The gall of that woman. To speak while I, Florence Nightingale’s protégé, was imparting my great wisdom. Insufferable!’" Jed spoke with a higher pitched general British drawl.

Mary couldn't help but laugh as she had not laughed in some time. "Very well, it was twice, but you mustn’t make fun. What if she hears?"

He moved towards her, his eyes catching hers. "Then it would be well worth it. It is good to see you laugh.” He stopped less than an arm’s length away from her. “Indeed I would do almost anything to see you thus more often."

"I know that you would." Mary's eyes caught his and she saw a tender look that she had been trying to avoid lately, although it grew harder to glance away. To tear herself from the look that gave her a pang in her stomach again that she had thought herself incapable of before coming to Mansion House. Only unlike in her youth, she knew where such looks could lead.

Mary stepped away from him. "Well, I should check on the progress of the other nurses before our supper. But you will save me a place beside you?"

He swallowed, and she wondered what words he might have swallowed too. "Of course. Perhaps we might be regaled with Nurse Hasting's account of the lecture."

"I'm sure we may count on it." She smiled, turning and walking from the room.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Please feel free to let me know what you think!


End file.
